I Started Walking Every Day and Accidentally Found Myself

For the past two weeks, I’ve been walking a beautiful 2-mile trail near my house every evening. What started as a way to stretch my legs has turned into a full-on life transformation. Not the kind where I now eat kale chips (spoiler: still not happening), but the kind where I’ve uncovered a version of myself I didn’t know was there.

Let me tell you what’s changed: I can’t stop smiling. Seriously, I look like I just won the lottery of inner peace.

The Biggest Hurdle: Reassurance Isn’t an Outside Job

Here’s the kicker: for years, I thought I needed other people to reassure me, validate me, and basically tell me, “Hey, you’re okay.” Turns out, I didn’t. I needed to look myself in the mirror and say it—then actually believe it.

I’ve spent decades outsourcing my happiness. Spoiler alert: that’s not sustainable. It’s like expecting your dog to do your taxes—it’s just not going to work.

Now, I’ve realized my happiness, my reactions, and my growth are all mine. Sure, I can’t control everything that happens, but I can control how I respond to it. This has been especially life-changing in my 30-year marriage. (Sorry, Ron, for the first 30 years. I promise, I’m much cooler now.)

The Sleep Thing: Life Without a Prescription

Before these walks, I struggled to sleep. For years, I relied on prescription sleep medications. But here’s the amazing part: since starting my daily walks, I’ve stopped needing them. I’m sleeping on my own now—6 or 7 hours a night, even if it’s in pieces. My brain doesn’t seem to need more than that anyway because there’s so much I want to do.

What’s wild is how excited I get about these walks. A couple of hours before, I start counting down like it’s Christmas morning. That’s huge for me. Finding joy in something as simple as putting one foot in front of the other has changed everything.

Seeing the Beauty: Literally and Figuratively

Walking every day has forced me to look up. Not just physically—though I have spent a concerning amount of time in life staring at my feet—but also emotionally. I started noticing the little things: the way the light hits the trees, the ripples on the pond, the mushrooms after a storm. If I can find beauty in these tiny moments, I can find it in myself too.

I stopped hiding from cameras because I thought I ruined photos. (Pro tip: you don’t.) I stopped pretending compliments didn’t happen. My inner voice went from being a critic to a cheerleader, and let me tell you, life feels a lot quieter in my head now.

Rewriting My Story

Once I let go of being a victim and started seeing myself as the hero of my story, everything changed. My neurodivergent brain, which I once fought against, is now my greatest asset. Yes, it means:

• Every cap in my house is screwed on wrong.
• Ziplocs? Don’t even ask.
• Recipe printouts are scattered across my house like confetti.
• Remnants of my many hobbies and failed businesses hide in totes and closets.
• All my shirts are very soft and tagless.
• I only eat the same comfort foods every day.

But it also means I’ve:

• Reignited my creativity and started writing again.
• Embraced my 20 boiling pots of hobbies because I know my brain thrives on that chaos.
• Learned to harness my anxiety as fuel to propel me forward instead of letting it hold me back.
• Figured out how to force myself into hyperfocus to get tasks done quickly.
• Made executive functioning challenges like laundry, dishes, and cleaning a challenging game that I am determined to win.

I’ve stopped measuring my success by anyone else’s ruler. For me, success is walking my path (literally and figuratively) and shining bright while I do it. I’m no longer allowing fear to control every decision I make, and I’m so much better for it.

Sharing the Light

Every evening, I post a TikTok video of the beautiful things I see on my walk, paired with an empowering message. Why? Because I want to remind others—especially neurodivergent folks—that your light is meant to shine, not dim.

If I can inspire just one person to stop snuffing out their own light, redefine success on their terms, and harness their unique superpowers, then my journey will be worth it.

I’ve even stopped masking while on my walks, which is huge because these are people I see every day—and I’m letting them watch me dance walk. Dance walking and lip-syncing to what I’m hearing in my earbuds makes it more fun for me, and that’s what I do now. I am smiling, looking at the sunset over the pond, dance walking, and I am genuinely happy.

To anyone out there struggling: You’re not alone. You’re not broken. And your quirks might just be your superpowers in disguise. Stop listening to that inner critic, start looking up, and let your light shine. The world needs it.